7/8 at S.D.

*When I asked if it was tough to sit Todd Frazier, when he’s been the hot hand lately, manager Dusty Baker said it was a better matchup for Scott Rolen against Padres starter Jason Marquis.

“I’ve got to play Scotty sometime and it’s the best kind of guy to play here,” Baker said. “This guy here [Marquis] can trick you. Yesterday and the day before, it was more of a matchup thing. I was going to play Scotty yesterday but Frazier has been so good against left-handers. This guy here throws right up Scotty’s alley and not up Frazier’s alley.”

Frazier was 10-for-25 (.400) while Rolen missed a week with back spasms and is batting .279 overall. Rolen, who comes in batting .184, has struggled when he has played. Clearly, it’s an issue that has been on Baker’s mind because he bristled some over the topic being brought up.

“I don’t want to have to be answering this every day about Scotty and Frazier and who’s playing and who’s not playing,” Baker said. “From now on, it’s ‘manager’s decision,’ like basketball. It’s easier. I don’t know what I am going to do but I will figure it out. … It’s a good problem to have but you get tired of talking about. It’s going to be talked about over and over the rest of the year. Let them talk and let me work.”

“And eventually, if Frazier keeps it [going], the job will be Frazier’s. Eventually. It’s not to say when but Scotty isn’t a spring chicken. Frazier has a good attitude about things. People fall in love real quick around here and then they fall out of love real quick at the same time. Since I’ve been here five years, there have been six, seven guys that everybody has fallen in love with and the next month or next year, you never hear their name. I’m just trying to win ballgames.”

A little FYI for bigblu and anyone else….I don’t care if it only says ‘sucks’…but I will not tolerate any name calling at anybody…manager, players, me, other commenters, etc. Keep it civilized or you can’t comment here.

Dusty says he is trying to win ballgames. I get that. You know what wins ballgames? Playing the guy with a hundred point batting average more often. It is kind of simple.

You know how Frazier is going to get better at playing against guys who try to trick you? Have him play against them. It is kind of simple. By playing Faizer today, the reds are better today and next year when \”Scotty\” is gone.

The problem is that Dusty is a Veteranholic. He may need to go to a 12 step program for it. Because he clearly cannot see the correlation of playing the better players and winning.

Basic translation ” If this is going to be my last year as manager of the reds it’s going to be with the players I’m going to play”. So stubborn Dusty will throw out old broken down veterans over guys who are actually winning games for them.

Shock that Baker has not won a playoff game in 9 years, not won a playoff game in Cincy, and has never won a WS

He defies logic. Lets randomly start a scrub on the last game of the 1st half the season. This scrub can not hit his weight, or stay healthy. He has missed 40 + games already, just sat out 5 more games, and has a 3 day break approaching.

The Reds are trying to 1- Keep pace with Pitt who is up 6-0, trying to finish over 500 on an 11 game road trip to the other side of the country, and finish the 1st half with a win and a series win.

So, start the guy who has an OBP 50 points lower than the distance to the left foul foul at GABP.

Get a manager who cares more about winning than he does making friends. Baker has shown that production is not a major factor in playing time. Frazier was the most productive hitter in ST and yet got cut. He and Heisey are hot now and they are on the bench. I understand that Rolen needs some AB’s and have no problem with that. What I cant stand is seeing Stubbs in the 2 hole. Dude cannot hit MLB pitching. He really never hit MILB pitching and yet a superior player (Heisey) sits behind him. Keep putting your worst OBP guy ahead of Votto. Real smart.

They won the game. My wish is that the fans of this team would quit complaining about the line-up or roster and just watch this team and support those who are here and in the line-upas they go intothe playoffs. The baseball IQ in this city has gone way down, in my opinion and the whining way up!

So true David! Our team is having a great season and it would be nice if the “fans” could just enjoy the ride instead of always complaining. I would love to see Frazier in the lineup every day, but if he’s not I’m still going to enjoy the game and root like hell for the guys that are in there! I love my REDS!

Whoever the guy was playing third today, the stranger, sure didn’t pan out today. Hope runs eternal that he only pinch hits the remainder of the year. Oh…..I forgot who the manager is for this team. He usually benches his hot players for the sake of the team so everybody gets to swing the lumber. Doesn’t matter they haven’t helped the team for two years.

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